Authorities expanded rescue efforts as they race to find the missing submersible carrying five passengers on a deepwater quest to explore the wreck site of the Titanic as underwater noises were detected.
Search vessels were redirected Tuesday after “multiple” aircraft detected underwater noises in the area. Navy acoustic analysts were studying the sounds, which were heard again Wednesday, said Capt. Jamie Frederick, the First Coast Guard District response coordinator, in a news conference Wednesday afternoon.
“We don’t know what they are,” Frederick said. “The good news is, we’re searching in the area where the noises were detected.”
Pilot and CEO of OceanGate Stockton Rush and four commercial passengers including British billionaire Hamish Harding, French explorer Paul-Henry Nargeolet, Shahzada Dawood and Suleman Dawood, two members of one of Pakistan’s most prominent families were on board Titan, the 22-foot submersible when it lost contact with its support ship Sunday.
The mission, led by OceanGate , is a privately-owned company that runs commercial projects, scientific research and exploration in deep water.
Five vessels, two remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and aircrafts have been searching above and below the ocean’s surface since the submersible went missing, with additional vessels and ROVs expected to arrive Thursday morning, according to a Coast Guard official.
As more information emerges about OceanGate’s mission and the inherent dangers, former passengers have begun to share their experiences with Titan.
More: Missing Titanic submersible live updates: Search expands ‘exponentially’; more sounds heard
Simpsons writer Mike Reiss says, “You know going in how very dangerous this is.”
When did they encounter Titan? Mike Reiss, a writer for “The Simpsons” said he and his wife embarked on their own Titanic expedition with Titan last year, after a friend told them about a guy in Seattle who was building his own sub, Reiss told KIRO 7 Tuesday.
Prior to the trip to the Titanic site, the couple took other dives with the company. When they heard about a chance to visit the Titanic wreck site, they signed up for it. They didn’t get a chance to stay long after the submersible reached the site because of unsafe weather conditions
What was their experience on Titan? “It was a real struggle to get to the Titanic. Our time was very, very short because on top of the danger of being two and a half miles down, there was a hurricane coming down at sea level,” said Reiss. “We really had this tight window. You sort of land at the bottom of the ocean and then go ‘all right, where’s the Titanic? We know it’s around here somewhere.’”
As Reiss recalled his own experience in the same submersible 11 months ago, he remembers that they lost communication on every dive they took, which was just one of the problems, Reiss said.
But anyone who boarded the Titan was aware of the risks associated with the voyage.
“Everyone’s hoping and praying. I just go… I know having been in this situation… it’s very difficult. You know, I’m hoping, too. It’s not any bad or reflection on Stockton Rush. It’s his company and he designed it, but it’s just we are all part of this ongoing experiment,” said Reiss.
A look inside the Titan: Missing Titanic submersible: Maps, graphics show last location, depth and design
Titan submersible composed of “less sophisticated parts,” CBS reporter David Pogue says.
When did he encounter Titan? CBS reporter David Pogue boarded the submersible alongside OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush in November for a report about Titan’s underwater expeditions. Described as “MacGyvery” with as much room as a minivan, the submersible relied on “less sophisticated and jerry-rigged” components to help it run, according to the original CBS report.
“There were parts of it that seemed to me to be less sophisticated than I was guessing. You drive it with a PlayStation video controller… some of the ballasts are old, rusty construction pipes,” Pogue told USA TODAY . “There were certain things that looked like cut corners.”
What was his experience with the submersible? The Titan did get lost for a few hours on Pogue’s expedition and was unable to find the site of the Titanic wreck during one of the dives, but unlike the current situation crews were able to send short texts to communicate with the submersible even if they did not know where it was.
“This submersible does not have any kind of beacon like that. On my expedition last summer, they did indeed get lost for about 5 hours, and adding such a beacon was discussed,” Pogue tweeted. “They could still send short texts to the sub, but did not know where it was. It was quiet and very tense, and they shut off the ship’s internet to prevent us from tweeting.”
“I was anticipating a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I got it,” Pogue told USA TODAY’s “5 Things” podcast.
The expedition has a “safety-conscious culture” as members of the trip went through mandatory daily briefings and were even taught how to put on smoke masks and use fire extinguishers in case of a scenario where there was smoke on the craft, Pogue said.
“Nobody ever said, ‘here’s what you do if we lose communication and are trapped under the sea,’ because it just seems impossibly remote,” he said.
ICYMI: Reporter who rode Titanic submersible tells USA TODAY about ‘less sophisticated’ parts
Friend of British billionaire tells Good Morning American pulled out of Titanic expedition due to safety concerns
When did he encounter the Titan? Digital marketing tycoon and friend of British billionaire Hamish Harding, Chris Brown told Good Morning America he was one of the first people to sign up for the Titanic submersible experience.
“Being a modern-day adventurer interested in pushing the boundaries of our knowledge of places that people go… the Titanic is obviously an iconic wreck,” he said. “It’s a chance for an expedition, an exploration and adding a bit of science into the situation,” Brown said.
What was his experience on the submersible? Even though Brown ultimately decided not to board the Titan for fear of his safety, he was initially excited and drawn to the voyage because he wanted to see the Titanic wreckage in person.
When asked about his concerns with the safety of the mission, Brown declined to elaborate, saying “the focus right now has to be on trying to rescue these people.”
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